Community Forums

tbos1958 · 11-03-2018, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by manwithnorv

When you enter the length, do you enter the total TV + RV, or does it want just the RV?

Both

Indy Glenn · 11-04-2018, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Varago

One thing I think is awesome is the wifi update to the GPS. The updates are free for both firmware and maps and I get about 3-4 a year. Dave

I agree - - - currently with the 660 I have to do the Plug n' Play with the computer to update.

Wifi would be nice......

g

glennwest · 11-04-2018, 09:27 AM

We use a 7" note with CoPilot Truck on it. Use a magnetic mount for it. Just $50.00 and most have a note anyway. You enter weight height etc.

RoadEyePie · 11-28-2018, 05:17 PM

I decided to go ahead and purchase the Garmin 770 RV gps system when it dropped $50 after Black Friday. I got a chance to test it out today on a 150 mi. trip. Initial impression is disappointment. The Waze app which is free I think does a better job in many ways. But the one reason I bought the Garmin was the RV specific data i.e. height, length, weight, width and the routing assistance designed around that. So while I was in my car, I put the Garmin in RV mode with all the specs. On the way home, I decided to NOT follow it's route guidance and turned on to a road with a very low overpass. Definitely too low for an RV. I was extremely disappointed that it did not give warnings of the overpass which would have ripped the entire roof off my RV. Like I said, it did everything to route me away from the road with the hazard, but once I was on the road, it did not notify me of the extreme hazard. I expected more from Garmin. It seems to be basically the same Garmin I owned 20 years ago. I expected better.

P.S. The first thing I did when I received the unit was to download / install all updates and map data.

RoadEyePie · 11-28-2018, 07:00 PM

I called Garmin tech support and it's possible there are "valid" explanations why I did not get an alert. Rep said it should have, so I need to do some more testing to validate. I'll posting future discoveries. I plan to keep the device (not returning it). While I remain disappointed, we'll see. The device also displays every gas station you pass or that it finds, NOT RV "friendly" stations. Also, you can't set filters to show only stations with diesel. So I'll have to use other resources to make up for what this Garmin won't do.

If I am wrong about any of this, please correct me and tell me how to change the settings. I've explored it fairly thoroughly so I don't believe I'm mistaken about any of this. I will give the unit another chance to warn me of low over passes.

tbos1958 · 11-28-2018, 07:05 PM

Did you receive a notice that RV use was unknown? That is what mine does. If you followed its directions, you’d have never met that bridge. Mine doesn’t alert either. It just routes me away from it.

Gigattime · 11-28-2018, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbos1958

Did you receive a notice that RV use was unknown? That is what mine does. If you followed its directions, you’d have never met that bridge. Mine doesn’t alert either. It just routes me away from it.

Same here as far as I can tell. Been using the 770 for almost 3 years and like it a lot.

consolenut · 11-29-2018, 04:54 AM

My Magellan rv unit you have to put in length width height of vehicle or rv so it knows what your driving and how to route you.

RoadEyePie · 11-29-2018, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbos1958

Did you receive a notice that RV use was unknown? That is what mine does. If you followed its directions, you’d have never met that bridge. Mine doesn’t alert either. It just routes me away from it.

Yes, I believe it said, "RV Compatibility Uncertain". But suppose you just remember that you left something and want to go around the block to return somewhere. You're now no longer following it's directions and on a road with a hazard. For what ever reason you find yourself on that road, I feel that it should ALERT ALERT DANGER WILL ROBINSON. The Garmin Rep said I should test it on that road without the unit in guide mode, without a destination that it's trying to direct you to. Not sure why. He also said that it's possible that this particular intersection is just one they missed in their database. It's a road under a railroad track that's been there around 100 years. Based on what you both have said, I think it's not going to set off an audible alarm like the rep said it should.

Quote:

Originally Posted by consolenut

My Magellan rv unit you have to put in length width height of vehicle or rv so it knows what your driving and how to route you.

Yes of course the 770 RV also has the specs.

Gigattime · 11-29-2018, 01:54 PM

I agree it would be nice to have an alarm, but I try not to over rely on the device and try to stay alert to signs and my surroundings.

Also agree that it would be nice in RV mode to distinguish between fuel stations that are RV friendly and those that are not. It seems figuring out what fuel stations will easily work for a bigger unit (outside of the Flying J type truck spots) is one of the bigger challenges to traveling with a large unit trailer or motorhome.

Rodg495 · 11-29-2018, 02:51 PM

Thinking about relying on any device over watching the road ahead is dangerous. Except it would be a real comfort while driving at night when you cannot see "everything" ahead. That ALERT would be something you would want to count on at night.

bfisher003 · 11-29-2018, 02:55 PM

There is a source for POIs that you can purchase and load into your Garmin that is supposed to warn of low clearance situations at a distance the user selects. I bought and installed it on both my Garmin RV760LMT and the Basecamp trip planning software. I cannot say for certain if it works or not because I haven’t been anywhere where there was a low clearance. None around my immediate Florida area. The website if you want to check it out is http://www.lowclearances.com/. I am not associated with them other than being a purchaser.

JohnBoyToo · 11-29-2018, 02:56 PM

When it says RV Access unknown or whatever, it means the map data has not been updated for THAT road and therefore can't tell you if there is an issue... so it routes you around it "better safe, than sorry"

BUT, if you still ignore it and go that way, well ?!?

Not ALL roads are mapped and have the clearance data... but still love my 3 or 4 Garmins

RoadEyePie · 11-29-2018, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodg495

Thinking about relying on any device over watching the road ahead is dangerous. Except it would be a real comfort while driving at night when you cannot see "everything" ahead. That ALERT would be something you would want to count on at night.

Well no it's not that I wouldn't see it in time to stop. It's really hard to miss. The problem is that once you make that turn, there is no turn around. You can only back up. I'm trying to avoid those situations more that the low overpass. I feel really confident that I will see them. Also, I retested without directed mode (just map view) and I got the same results. What I believe is also a big issue is that the Garmin doesn't have search capability, so if you know the name of the place you want to go but not the street address, you can't enter it. 90% of the time with Waze, I just enter the name because I never know the street address. Just saying Garmin could have tried harder.